The General Assembly of the Shura Council held its eleventh meeting today, as part of the second year of its ninth session, at the Council's headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting was chaired by the Council's Vice President, Dr. Meshal bin Fahm Al-Sulami, and attended by the Assistant President, Dr. Hanan bint Abdulrahim Al-Ahmadi, the Secretary-General, Mr. Mohammed bin Dakhel Al-Mutairi, and the heads of the Council's specialized committees.
During the meeting, the General Assembly reviewed a number of topics on its agenda, for which the specialized committees had completed their studies and prepared the necessary reports. At the conclusion of its discussions, the Assembly approved the referral of (17) new topics for inclusion in the agenda of the upcoming plenary sessions of the Council, reflecting a proactive legislative and oversight approach that keeps pace with the requirements of the current phase.
Oversight of higher education
The annual reports of Saudi universities topped the list of files referred to the Shura Council, including performance reports for several prominent academic institutions: Umm Al-Qura University, Jazan University, King Abdulaziz University, and Northern Border University for the academic year 2024. The discussion of these reports falls within the Shura Council's oversight role of government agencies and public institutions, aiming to enhance the efficiency of university education, ensure the quality of academic outcomes, and verify that university plans align with national development goals and the evolving needs of the labor market.
Strengthening international and economic partnerships
Regarding international relations and bilateral agreements, the Authority referred several draft agreements and memoranda of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation between the Kingdom and a number of sisterly and friendly countries. These agreements covered a variety of vital and strategic sectors, most notably economic fields, air transport services, and the energy sector, in addition to the exchange of information in the areas of infrastructure and construction.
These agreements are of paramount importance as the Kingdom seeks to enhance its global economic standing and expand its international relations network in a way that serves common interests and supports the flow of investments and the exchange of technical and technological expertise in promising sectors.
The working mechanism of the General Shura Council
It is worth noting that the General Authority of the Shura Council plays a pivotal role in organizing the Council's work. It is responsible for developing the Council's general plans and those of its committees, and for ensuring the readiness of topics before they are presented to the Council for discussion and voting. This procedure is a fundamental step to guarantee the accuracy of legislative and oversight outputs, thus contributing to supporting the comprehensive development the Kingdom is witnessing across various sectors.
